PARIS — French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne traveled Thursday to Beirut where he met with Lebanese leaders before traveling to Israel on Friday in a bid to avoid the breakout of an all-out war.
Sejourne met in Beirut with Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, his Lebanese counterpart, Abdallah Bou Habib, and Lebanese parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. A statement issued by Sejourne after the meetings said that “France remains at Lebanon’s side, pursuing its efforts to achieve de-escalation, a cease-fire in Gaza and the extension of the UNIFIL mission to stabilize the region.”
The French foreign minister will arrive to Israel at the same time as British Foreign Minister David Lammy. The two will meet with Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz in Jerusalem. A statement issued by the Israeli Foreign Ministry Thursday said that at the expected trilateral meeting Katz is set to discuss with his colleagues the need to “advance harsh economic sanctions against Iran” over its nuclear plan and its development and production of missiles and drones.
Sejourne’s visit comes after a series of talks held by French President Emmanuel Macron with leaders in the Middle East since the killing of Hezbollah’s military commander, Fuad Shukr, in Beirut on July 30 and the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31. Macron spoke over the phone with leaders from Qatar, Egypt, the Emirates, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
